Britney Spears’ Ticket Sales Disappoint in Birmingham, England

Britney Spears' exploits across the pond over the past few weeks have been generating quite a bit of media attention. While it's true that Brit always causes a stir, the singer has been popping up in the press a bit more than usual, due to her Bonnie and Clyde-style video shoot for 'Criminal,' which upset natives given the fact that she shot the clip in an area that has been battered by violence. Now, there's more bad news, as local sources indicate that Spears' forthcoming show at the LG Arena in Birmingham, England is tanking. The show is set for October 30.

The Sunday Mercury reports that a week out, 500 standing space tickets remains unsold for the show, as well as tickets for 11 of the 17 blocks of seats at the venue. In the concert industry, that many available tickets so close to the show date could be considered, well, a lot. Organizers are worrying that the venue could end up being half-full, which would be a bad look for pop's reigning princess. A half-full room would constitute a flop.

Due to the slow advance sales, the promoters resorted to slashing some ticket prices in half in order to stimulate fans to pony up the cash. It didn't generate as much interest as hoped, so now the powers-that-be are offering groups of fans a pair of free tickets if they purchase 10 in bulk. It appears they are employing whatever strategies that might work to get people in those seats.

Spears has three U.K. dates planned for her Femme Fatale Tour. She has been away from the area since 2004, so a sell-out was expected as she made her triumphant return, but it's not working out as hoped. Times have changed, it seems.

It is good news, however, for her Birmingham contingent. If you really want to see her, you can, given the economically viable incentives and the availability of tickets.